Explorer raises hope for electric cars in Africa

A renewed hope is set for Africa as renowned Polish explorer Arkady Pawel Fiedler, who in February, inaugurated the first ever Electric Vehicle (EV) expedition with the world’s most popular electric vehicle, Nissan LEAF car from Cape Town South Africa via West Africa to Europe by road stopped by in Nigeria.

The expedition is poised to build awareness for electric mobility and new cleaner technologies in Africa, Poland and the world at large.

Besides, the 100 per cent Nissan Electric LEAF is the world’s first mass-produced and also bestselling electric car.

Fiedler drove alongside his companion, Albert Wojtowicz, an architect cum photographer in an entirely first generation electric Nissan LEAF car that is powered by a 30kwh battery with a range of 250 kilometres in a period of two months, covering 8,000 kilometres.

Addressing local automobile media in Lagos, Fiedler said, apart from being the first ever electric vehicle expedition across the African continent, the trip aims to build awareness for electric mobility and new cleaner technologies in Africa, Poland and the world at large.

The voyage, according to him, also seeks to change peoples’ perception of the world and human choices with particular recourse to the impact of transport on the environment, Fiedler said.

“Care of the environment, home and family starts with us, with our subjective decisions and this journey are also proof that something apparently impossible can be achieved when given appropriate attitude and determination.”

The explorers who are billed to proceed to the Republic of Benin in their schedule will also visit Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, before terminating in Poland.

Arkady and Albert had earlier being in Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Gabon, and Cameroon since leaving Cape Town, South Africa in February.

Fiedler said the choice of the electric Nissan LEAF model wasn’t by impulse.

“When it came to considering which kind of electric car I would drive across Africa, we took into account several brands, featuring similar specifications but this particular model was favoured.

It has been a proven model since 2010 and just in January 2018, the Nissan-Renault Alliance announced the delivery of the 300, 000th LEAF car sold worldwide.”